I Will Be Emily
by bootsontheground
Summary: Emily is fighting to be Emily. But with all that's going on, does she want to be Emily? Tired of fighting for her Mother's attention, Emily moves in with her aunt and uncle, hoping to complete high school in the States. Expecting to be an outsider like usual, Emily is surprised to find herself with a new group of friends. But when things get rough, will they stay? (Emily-centric).
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm more focused on _Bear Witness to Strength_ so I may not update this one as quickly. I have written more chapters for this but they are on paper and I wrote them a couple years back so I want to clean them up a bit, fix the terrible writing and plot points that I don't really want to follow. If you want to see this go somewhere specific or have any suggestions I am super willing to hear them! I do want to warn you guys that, in the future (not in this chapter) there are some scenes of abuse, extreme violence, etc so TRIGGER WARNING! I will try my best to remember posting that before any of those scenes so you can read the rest of the story and skip those parts. -boots

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, but it is always on my mind. Hehe

…

It was only a few days after the last day of Thanksgiving break that Hotch got to meet the infamous new girl. He was always busy, and the only reason he knew of her was because she was the latest hot topic at lunch. Garcia couldn't stop gabbing about her- everyone had met her but him.

The bubbly blonde said she wore too many dark clothes and desperately needed a shopping spree. JJ said she was nice but talked extremely little- and that was saying something considering that soccer fanatic could get even him talking. Morgan said she had a good taste in books, but all that boy read was comics and Vonnegut. Reid said she was super nice, always smiling at him when she passed him in the hallway, and she was supposedly the daughter of an ambassador.

When he finally met her, she was standing in front of him in the lunch line. Ebony hair fell slightly below her shoulders and the scent of vanilla custard wavered near. He watched her place skim milk on her tray and then finger the chicken nuggets before taking the pizza.

"You'll need a strong stomach for that." Way to go, Hotchner. Nice intro, you dumb butt.

The brunette girl turned halfway, not enough for her features to show from beneath her black Castro cap. "Why?"

"The cheese is always pretty old." He leaned his voice down to meet her whisper.

She nodded, the hint of a smile peeking out from behind dark locks. "Thanks." Paying the cashier, she began to walk to one of the empty, back tables. Hotch's gut twisted; his conscience kicking at him to not let her sit alone.

He sighed and reached out for her arm, feeling her tense up between his fingers. "Would you like to sit with me and my friends? It's not just guys."

"Sure." She already looked to be regretting it.

The senior quickly paid for his food and let her follow him to their lunch table. Penelope was already squealing and smiling as they approached the group.

"Hey guys." Aaron sat down across from Emily.

"Introduce us, Hotch." JJ smiled politely at the girl.

"Sure. This is…uh…" Stupid Aaron; he forgot to ask her name!

Her eyes twinkled at him. "Emily Prentiss."

"Tech-Goddess Penelope Garcia! Nice to meet you!" The colorful sophomore grinned and offered Emily a brightly wrapped chocolate. "They're German; want one?

Emily nodded. "I love chocolate."

"Who doesn't?" JJ exclaimed, throwing a handful of Reese's Pieces into her mouth.

"That's JJ," Garcia sighed dramatically, gathering wrappers from around her friend's arms, "she eats a lot of sugar."

A buff guy wearing a muscle shirt turned to Emily. "The name's Derek Morgan. People usually call me Morgan, but you," he leaned in suggestively with a smirk on his face, "can call me Derek."

He reminded Emily of Ben Cooley, John's younger brother. The swift memory of scruffy hair and playful flirtation brought a gentle smile to her face. "Well, I suppose I'll have to take that into consideration." JJ nudged her bestfriend, making Penelope lift her head in time to see Emily answer with a soft, flirty smile.

"Dude!" JJ whispered into the other blonde's ear. "She's flirting back!"

Garcia grinned but didn't say anything.

"I suppose that's all I can ask for. Wouldn't want the lady to get the wrong idea." Morgan replied.

"And what idea would that be?"

Morgan leaned back and gave her his most innocent grin. "That I let every pretty girl call me Derek."

"Oh my," Emily held her hand to her chest, "don't I feel special."

"I aim to please, Princess."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Let me have my appetite, Morgan."

"Yeah, you're making everything taste so cheesy now- you know JJ's lactose intolerant."

Morgan narrowed his eyes and gave the scrawny boy beside him a light smack on the head. "I can't help it if I've got a way with words, Pretty Boy. God has gifted me a gift and I intend to use it."

Emily let out a small laugh. "God, huh?"

"Yup. As a child, I made even the soon-to-be-nuns swoon. That's why we had to change churches."

"False." Reid closed his book and set it down on the pile next to him. "That was because you broke the baptismal fountain for the third time."

"Damn it, Reid!" Morgan huffed as Hotch high-fived the kid.

"So, where are you from?" JJ asked.

"Italy." At least that's where she'd been last.

"Cool."

"How come you came in the middle of the school year? Won't that adversely affect your studies?" Reid peeped from behind a new book. _The Art of Pseudonyms and Modern Applications_ was written on the binding.

Emily nodded. "Mother had a new posting." She didn't refute the boy's concern for her grades. She would find a way to keep them steady; she always did.

"So, your mother really is an Ambassador?!"

"Yes."

"Which country?" Aaron asked.

"She does Middle Eastern or South European countries mostly. But she did do Russia, and her new post is South Africa."

"She's not here?" Spencer said quizzically. He had never been away from his mother.

"I'm living with my aunt and uncle for now. I want to complete high school here- in the States."

The others quieted. Unable to wrap their minds around parents being in completely different countries. Aaron tried to smother his envy, thinking that Emily probably didn't enjoy having her parents far away.

"What about your dad? Can't you stay with him?" Reid asked. He was young and didn't have much of a filter, so he asked the questions the others were unwilling to ask and said the things the others were unwilling to voice.

"He just got promoted so he has his hands full."

"Is he an ambassador too?"

"No."

JJ watched Emily gnaw at her lip. "So how do you like it here so far?"

"The weather is crappy but otherwise its nice."

"Yeah. It's been a pretty shitty December so far." Derek sighed looking out the dirty cafeteria window. There was a slight fog on the horizon, and an unholy chill that reached in and scrapped at the bones of anyone who dared step outside.

JJ rolled her eyes. "Morgan's upset because half the Upward football team got either a cold or pneumonia and now Mr. Buford banned any games until the virus putters out."

"I thought our football team was the Quantico Earthquakes?"

"Yeah but they're basically a gang and joining them is…" JJ looked Emily straight in the eyes. "Whatever you do, stay away from them. They're why we don't play here. We play at the Upward Youth Center on Green."

"What do you guys play?"

JJ grabbed a ball from between her knees and tossed it in the air. "Soccer- all day, every day!"

Morgan knocked the ball out of her reach, catching it before it hit the ground. "I play American football. The truest sport of the patriot!"

"I play chess." Spencer said.

"That's not a sport, kid."

"'Chess is a sport. A violent sport.'" Emily retorted.

Spencer's pushed back his comically large glasses, grinning from ear to ear. "Marcel Duchamp!"

"Yup."

"Do you play?"

"I can hold my own, but I won't be winning any tournaments anytime soon." More so because she'd been playing against the same butler for 12 years.

"I play online sports. I'm an excellent dueler." Penelope fake parried with her pen.

"In which century is this?" JJ teased.

"Hey, which century is the Middle Ages?" Garcia fake-whispered to Reid.

The young boy frowned at her. "We're in the Literature of the Middle Ages unit in Ms. Barnaby's class, Garcia."

"Oof, that old fart makes Romeo and Juliet sound like Mr. Shunt's Intro to Political Science." Garcia moaned. "I mean it's a romance! Why go out of your way to make office workers look like such interesting individuals?"

"I wish we read newer stuff." JJ said. "Like _Perks of Being a Wallflower_ or _The Way I Used To Be_."

Emily raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, I didn't think _The Way I Used To Be_ was well-known."

"I don't know about other people, but I definitely know it. I love that book!" JJ exclaimed, clenching her own shirt by the chest. "Amber Smith frickin ripped out my heart, Em!"

"I too would enjoy participating in the process of making contemporary works into supposed 'classics'. I haven't read nearly enough though." Spencer bemoaned.

JJ grinned devilishly, the school bell ringing ominously in the background. "You have given me a mission, Spencer Alan Reid!"

"What?!"

"I hereby claim the position of your reading…uh… person. No, guide! I am your reading guide."

Spencer looked afraid. "What does that mean?"

"I will give you books to read. I will integrate you into modern book-loving society, one cliched YA at a time!" She cackled, embracing her inner Penelope Garcia quite frighteningly.

Thankfully for Spencer, the bell allowed him to rush off to class and avoid JJ's newfound mission. The rest of the group also gathered their things and walked to class, grinning all the way. Emily couldn't wait until tomorrow. She finally had something to look forward to everyday: lunch.

…

See ya when I see ya, guys! -boots


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm back! I hope this lives up to expectation. Remember if you have any suggestions about where you want this story to go, and where you want Bear Witness to Strength to go especially, pleassssse feel free to send in suggestions and stuff. I have most of this story plotted out though but I am nothing if not eager to please.

Also to elaborate on the TRIGGER WARNING for this story. There will be sexual abuse and discussions of abuse in future chapters. Not to fear there will be none of that in this chapter but no that there will be in future chapters. I will inform you beofr the chapter begins if anything like that is in that chapter. -boots

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. If I did, I probably would've given then even more traumatic and terrible childhoods then they had in the show. I'm a sucker for tragic backstory so prepare to feel very awful. Thank heavens I don't own the show.

…

The third quarter started in January, revealing a new semester for the upperclassmen. They all had, quite coincidentally, signed up for Mr. Rossi's theatre class. Spencer joined for the plays, insight, and art credit. Emily and Garcia signed up because it seemed the least humiliating art credit- they both drew stick figures, with ballcaps and sun hats to distinguish gender. Emily knew her mother would approve too, if only for the public communication aspect of it, which is why JJ signed up. Morgan signed up because Penelope had asked him too, and he didn't mind being on stage. Oddly enough, Aaron was there because he was a friend of Mr. Rossi- or, as he called him, Dave- and thought it would be easier to complete his art credit in a friendly, familiar environment.

Emily was excited to have all her friends in a class with her. She enjoyed spending time with them, and those thirty minutes in lunch just weren't enough. She didn't have any classes with them in the month and a half she had been at Quantico High last semester, and had been stuck alone in classroom after classroom, each full of people who weren't interested one bit in getting a new friend. A smile tingled her lips. Except for AP Human Geography. In AP HUG she had Ian.

Ian was a sweet Irish teen who sat behind her in class. They only really met when she had begun her search for a fake ID supplier. They first met behind the school, ironically under an old flyer for a St Patrick's Day Green Shirt Celebration spray painted over with a sparkly golden shamrock. The first thing that went through her mind as Fahey- a lecherous slime ball who provides contacts in the underbelly of Quantico High- led her to the cigarette-littered spot, was that she hadn't known glitter spray paint existed.

Ian was sweet to her in a way she wasn't used to. And he was nice to her before she even met Hotch and the others. He was charming and could be genuinely kind when he wanted to be. If he saw her being harassed by those middle school gang wannabes that hung around the high school parking lot, he would go out of his way to charge over there with his friends to make them leave her alone. He spoke to her like she wasn't some stupid kid that didn't know shit. He spoke to her like an equal. Like an intelligent equal, because Ian Doyle was definitely intelligent. After he gave her her fake ID, he even took her through the city, showing her which places were best for using it. Emily could've kissed him right then and there; she had been going through nicotine withdrawal like nobody's business! And she certainly wouldn't mind some vodka supply either.

Emily let years of practice keep her grin from splitting across her face. It didn't help matters that Ian was so dashingly handsome either. He had clear blue eyes that cut into her brain like a scalpel. And when he smiled at her, her stomach did flips. And oh heavens, he was such a flirt! He didn't say her name often, usually just calling her Lauren, her name on the fake ID, or-

"Hello there, love." An arm snaked its way around her waist and pulled her against the familiar scent of crème pie and shoe polish.

Emily smiled as she felt him lean his face against the top of her head. "Hello yourself. What are you doing in the art hall, Ian?"

He shrugged, turning her so she could see those crystal blue eyes dance. "Figured I'd be lonely in Conversational French without you."

"Well," Emily leaned in, "I could always teach you. _Je ne voudrais pas que vous manquiez._ [I wouldn't want you to miss out.]"

"_Pas de chance, mon amour _[Not a chance, love]." The warmth of his breath tickled against the point of her nose. Inside the classroom, Mr Rossi was calling attendance. "_Peut-être pouvons-nous parler plus après l'école? Autour d'un verre peut-être?_ [Perhaps we can talk more after school? Over a glass maybe?]"

Emily raised an eyebrow, letting her own hand rest on Ian's chest very lightly. "_Cela dépend de ce qu'il y a dans le verre. _[Depends on what's in the glass.]"

"_Amháin is dorcha ar uisce-beatha na hÉireann. _[Only the darkest of Irish whiskey.]" Emily couldn't help but smile at the natural chinks and rolls of the Irish language in his grizzled voice.

"_Tá mé ann._ [I'm there.]"

Ian placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll meet you at The Black Shamrock at 3. Alright, love?"

"Alright." She laughed as a harried looking Morgan ran past the two, followed by an equally harried Reid, both carrying at least five books each.

She started to pull her companion into the classroom with her when he grabbed her shoulder. "Wait, love." His fingers brushed a small strand of dark hair from her face.

"We're gonna be late, Ian. I don-" Before she could finish, his lips were on hers. They were cold and soft and, despite their thinness, engulfed her.

Emily had been kissed before- many times before. She had left the entirety of Eurasia to escape the lips of all the boys who had kissed her. And she knew a good kiss from a bad kiss; this was a very good kiss. It tasted like cigarettes and crème pie. It tasted just like she thought Ian would taste like. She kissed him back. He nipped her flesh with his teeth, pushing her against the hallway wall, pulling her thigh instinctively against his waist, and tightening his grip around her midriff. She cupped his head and kissed him harder.

Mr. Rossi coughed from the doorway.

Emily went to pull away, but Ian's lips stuck to hers.

"Mr Doyle and Ms. Prentiss, I assume. If you would be so kind as to join my class. Exchanging knowledge may not be as fun as exchanging STDs but it has its perks in the long-run."

Doyle finally looked up. "It's theatre isn't it? STDs seem like the better option over that phlegm you dare call the written word."

Emily hid her smirk. He was even hotter when he was snarky, but she had been raised to be extremely respectful to her teachers and it was hard habit to shake.

"Be as it may, your opinion has no bearing over your grade. So you may as well despise my work from inside the classroom. The snogging seats are in the back- keep it PG, please."

Ian rolled his eyes, but followed Emily into the classroom. A small group in the corner paused as they entered, jaws dropping as they saw who Emily was with.

"Hey Emily!" Derek called out. "Over here!"

Emily moved towards them but then stopped, unsure. She felt a tug at her wrist. "Ian?"

"I'm gonna sit back there with my friends, love." He looked to a pair of snickering boys in leather jackets that were quite obviously drunk. "I know you want to sit with your friends, so we'll talk again when we get to the Shamrock."

Emily kissed him lightly. All her other boyfriends had been either blatantly uncaring about her and what she did as long as she slept with them or had been aggressively jealous and disarmingly violent- even after she had left them. But Ian had understood and so she kissed him gently and nodded.

As soon as she sat down, a blonde head popped up on her left shoulder. "Spill, gumdrop. Who's the hunk who's got you acting unpunk?"

"Unpunk?"

"You've been smiling the entire way to your seat, and you're still smiling."

"And you're twirling your hair with your finger." JJ grinned at Emily's glare.

"He's a friend." Emily said, yanking her finger away from her hair.

"Just a friend, princess."

"Shut up, Derek."

Morgan gasped, bringing a hand to his chest. "Kissing friends and calling other men by their first names. Such promiscuity, princess."

Emily smirked. "You ain't seen nothin yet, _Derek_."

"Guys, Dave's trying to talk." Aaron bit into their conversation.

At the front of the class, Rossi moved a small flyer into the *Elmo's view. "Alright, kids. It's that time of year again!"

{*An Elmo is a type of projector used in public schools in the United States. I do not know if they are used outside of the USA.}

"Bridal season!" Daniel Cooper shouted out. Emily rolled his eyes as he looked over at her and wiggled his eyebrows.

Rossi too rolled his eyes. "No, Mr. Cooper. And if you are looking to find that unlucky Mrs. Cooper, just know that bridal season isn't until June."

In the back of the room, Ian grit his teeth at Cooper's leering eyes.

"Three more months until 4/20?" He tried again.

Rossi rolled his eyes. "Stage season! At least in this school it's stage season and we're going to be doing a musical."

Groans and moans and woo-hoos filled the classroom. Emily glanced at Ian but he seemed nonplussed about the declaration. Cooper too looked unflustered by the idea of having to belt out a few chords, but she could see underneath that cool veneer to the quite fidgety and sweaty tiny Cooper inside him. Emily laughed at the thought of Cooper's reaction to a tiny Cooper. He'd probably twist into innuendo or something.

"Hotch! Did you know about this?! Why no warning, man?!" Derek didn't bother with the unphased, cool guy act. He was up in arms and Penelope was beside him trying to convince him not to drop the class.

"I didn't know." Aaron wasn't looking suave or dramatically flustered. He in fact looked much paler and… was that sweat beading on his forehead? "Dave wouldn't say, he said it was gonna be a surprise. He usually just does a regular play."

"Relax, most of you will be extras and back-up vocals. There are a lot of parts to play; keep an open mind. Try-outs are next Friday after school so tell all your friends. And all of you have to audition for a grade. If you need a ride tell me. If you want to audition during school hours, tell me. I am flexible but the audition is a big part of your grade, and I will know if you are purposefully being bad or not living up to your potential. Rubrics for the audition are by the door. When you leave today, grab one." He shifted the flyer under the Elmo. "Can ya'll see? This is a rough draft of the flyer. Since our piece of shit- I mean our fellow, hardworking and very busy students over in the advanced IT and graphic design classes are of no assistance I have been working on it myself. I would like you all for the warm-up to write some feedback. Turn it in before you leave. Other than that, start thinking about which songs from the musical you'll be performing."

"Dave, the name of the musical?"

Mr. Rossi blinked. "Right. The name… what's the name?" He shuffled through the paperwork on his desk as he talked. "Its French, with the cheese and the wine and the prostitutes…"

"Les Misérables?"

Rossi's head popped up. "That's it. Who said that?"

Garcia yanked Emily's hand into the air.

"Well, I'll be looking forward to your audition, Ms. Prentiss."

Emily grimaced. Now she was actually going to have to put in effort. Damn it.

…


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I know this is a bit short but I'm just gonna roll with it. _**TRIGGER WARNING**_ for description of child sexual abuse and inappropriate language and mentions of smoking (cigarettes).

Here ya go, guys. I know it's slow right now, but I promise you that's it'll pick up in a few more chapter. -boots

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

…

It had been the Ambassador's idea for Emily to stay at Uncle James' house. She had been surprisingly understanding when Emily told her she didn't want to go to South Africa with her and wanted to go to the States instead. The Ambassador had simply nodded and said she'd make some calls.

When Emily arrived at Uncle James' house, she knew more than calls had been exchanged. The house had five rooms, walnut flooring, and designer furniture that somehow perfectly matched the house. Uncle James was a former card dealer turned sober construction site supervisor. Moneywise, he wasn't exactly making it drizzle, let alone rain. Mother, though, had bucket loads of cash. At first, she ignored the bribe to take her in. But then the behavior started, and it began to feel like, along with the cash, she had been sold off too. Although, Emily knew Mother wouldn't do that, but it sure felt like she had.

The first week or so was okay. He seemed to resist the urge, fighting with himself. But like any frustrated, middle-aged, ex-alcoholic, pathetic excuse of a man, he began to unravel.

Emily found it amusing at first. She would walk out of the room in her baggiest pair of mom jeans and watch the sleaziness take over the 'nice guy', and then the next day she would wear a tank top and watch the same slimy smirk play on his face. She considered herself a good judge of character, so she didn't expect him to try anything. But she wasn't stupid; men were driven by their desires, so, she stopped being amused with his perverseness after a few days and continued on with her life.

He didn't. His leering got angrier as she avoided him. Finally, three weeks after she had arrived, he snapped.

* * *

Emily was back to chain-smoking. She had quit three months ago, before Mother had sent her to Uncle James, but when Ian had given her that fake ID and she had lit up that cancer stick for the first time in what felt like forever, just looking at that trail of thin white smoke convinced her there was no need to resist. Ian, of course, was all too happy and very much turned on by sustaining his girlfriend's smoking addiction.

For her, that thin white trail that seeped from the end of each cigarette and the billowing cloud that puffed out of her mouth- those were the only things that soothed her to sleep at night and gave her a purpose to go from hour to hour during the daylight. They fogged up the memory of waking up to the feeling of suffocation as your face is pressed is pressed down into your pillow and your mother's brother is grunting on top of you. They ease the feeling of being groped under the breakfast table, tears mixing with your cereal as your aunt just gapes at the wall, conked out on a dozen pills.

JJ seems to be the only one who notices, and the only one who approaches her deep in the depths of the library. Emily brushes her off; cigarettes aren't as bad as drugs. But JJ persists and she ends up throwing her stash away in front of the girl who is slowly becoming one of her bestfriends. She promises herself that she'll cover up her habit harder, only because she really doesn't like seeing that glassy fear in JJ's eyes.

The troubled teen takes her friend out for coffee and plays soccer with her in the bitter cold all day, until she is sure that Jayge doesn't feel that feeling anymore.

* * *

They decide to all audition on the same day. Emily is strangely excited; she's never really done that thing with friends where you all wait to do something, so you can do it together. As they're all deciding who needs a ride, and whether to do it on the official date or ask Mr. Rossi for school hours audition, Emily is grinning wildly inside. Aaron offers her a ride, but she says no. Her inner grin shrinks. She doesn't want him to see Uncle James. Aaron is handsome; he might get the wrong idea. He might get upset like he did when he saw her with Ian.

Emily excuses herself and heads to the math wing's bathroom for a smoke. The cameras in that one are broken; the school just pretends they work.

* * *

She finally sleeps with Ian. On her bed. Because fuck Uncle James. She's a Prentiss. No one gets to control her.

Ian is loving and sweet. And hot. It's the best sex she's ever had.

She feels nauseous afterwards. She smiles at her boyfriend and tells him she'll be back.

She heads to the bathroom. The tears won't stop. Uncle James doesn't care and does it anyway.

When she gets back, Ian wants to do it again. She blows him so he won't be upset. He gives her an odd look, but goes with it. She thinks he knows. She hopes he knows.

They don't do it at her house again. And he never asks her for a second round again. She thinks she's in love with him.

* * *

"We should have a party!"

"A party?" Spencer perks up.

Garcia squeals. "Yeah! After the audition next Tuesday. We should all totally hang out afterwards. It'll be like a day of fun."

Aaron shakes his head. "I have to pick Sean and Jack up from little league afterwards."

"Oh no you don't, Bossman! I thought you might say that. Little Ashley Seaver from the Santa Baby apartments- you know, the girl Boy Genius is in looove with- has been looking for babysitting gigs like nobody's business. And, the little league park is at walking distance from Santa Baby. And, I've already offered to pay her in technical wizardry for all of her chronically broken gadgetry for a whole month."

Morgan laughed. "Ain't no way out of this one, man. May as well just give in."

Hotch sighed. "Who's house is it at?"

Penelope smiled widely, turning to Emily. "Well, you see, Gumdrop. Your house is beautiful and nice, and of short distance from the school and near all of our houses, so…"

Emily blinked. "I don't know guys. My aunt and uncle are really quiet people. They're barely used to one kid, let alone six." She watched Spencer shrink slightly in his seat. Guiltily she shrugged. "But maybe I could convince them." She looked at Spencer, noting the return of the excited wiggling of his ankles. She knew all about his family situation. She may as well use her torture for the betterment of at least one person.

…


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: **TRIGGER WARNING** for sexual abuse of a minor, probably incorrect description of French kissing, and dramatization of the dramatic _I Dreamed A Dream_.

I know it's been a while. I have no excuses- I'm just abominably lazy. -boots

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. I don't own Les Miserables.

…

Emily breathed in and out carefully. It was almost dinner, she could ask them then. She sighed. The only problem was that she wasn't allowed to talk during dinner. Meal times were silent times. And after dinner, Aunt Rita would pop a couple of painkillers and sink into the couch, leaving her to ask Uncle James alone.

But she had to ask. She finally had friends who liked her- hell, she finally had friends, period. Spencer was counting on her. She remembered how his eyes lit up at the sound of a party with his friends. Her baby might've-

No.

She couldn't go down that path right now. The doorbell rang throughout the house. Emily paid for the pizza, closing the door behind her. Dinner was ready.

* * *

After dinner, Emily went to Uncle James' study. Knocking twice, she heard his voice call her in.

"Hi." It was barely a sound.

"Hello, dear. How was school?" He had a kind face. At least, that's what people said. Emily used to see it. Now she had no idea what they were talking about.

"Fine."

"Can I help you with something?"

"My friends and I-"

"Friends?" His tone was disapproving. Brooding. Angry.

Emily's voice shook. "Mostly girls. More like acquaintances than friends."

He nodded. She breathed slightly- insignificantly- better.

"Can they come over?" Her voice bent down to a whisper again. "We won't be loud. And we'll stay in my room."

A sick grin spread across his handsome face. "Anything for you, dear. Now come here." He said forcefully. She quickly walked to his side. Uncle James pushed her onto his lap, so she could feel him straining against the fabric. "When would you like this playdate? Next week? In a few months maybe?" She knew which one she had to pick.

"Next week."

"Well, dear, that's very short notice. I don't know if that's possible." He turned her to face him.

She knew the way this script went. "I'll do anything you want."

With those words, he slammed the fifteen-year-old against the desk, before covering her shaking body with his own. Emily's eyes glassed over, and she let herself drift into the depths of her mind.

* * *

Spencer hugged Emily when she told the group her uncle had said yes to the party. She wasn't a hugger but she ruffled his hair and hugged the young genius back. She even cracked a genuine smile; something she hadn't felt in days. Mr. Rossi eyed the embrace with curiosity.

Mr. Rossi was a proud Italian man nearing his fifties who prided himself on good instinct and good judgment. That didn't stop him from flirting with the other teachers, causing many to swoon on sight. Thankfully, he never went further than that. And he never flirted in front Principal Strauss. Though she went by her maiden name, they wee happily married for nineteen years. Right now, his judgement was telling him there was something about that girl; something about the way she ruffled that Reid kid's hair. It was almost… maternal?

He shook his head. Bizarre. But he had learned to trust instinct. He'd have to talk to Jason about this.

* * *

As the party closer, Emily began to spend more and more time with Ian. And much to Aaron's dismay, the rest of the group found it adorable how smitten she was instead of the spark of anger that he felt; it wasn't fair that she was spending more time with the Irish kid than her own friends! He sighed. At least they still ate lunch together.

"Earth to Hotch!" Morgan waved a pencil in the brunet's face. "Not the time to be daydreaming about Haley, my friend."

"Can I help you?!" Aaron snapped back. Haley was his ex-girlfriend. They may not have parted on the best of terms, but they were friends just the same. Even though that was mostly for Jack's sake. He sighed as Morgan smirked and went back to poking at the strange food Penelope's mom had made them.

"I don't know how you can eat this stuff," the bubbly computer goddess shuddered, "it's barely even food."

"I like it!" Spencer piped up.

Morgan grinned, high-fiving him.

"Did you know-"

"Oh, my dear heavens." JJ shoved Penelope's shoulder, trying to discreetly point out the duo walking towards them. The group of friends were all sitting in the empty hallway in front of the locked theatre room. They turned at JJ's urgent prodding and looked at the couple snogging in front of them. Emily and Ian were lip-locked, making very slow progress down the hall.

Hotch rolled his eyes, grumbling something about an academic environment and pointedly turning back to the notebook on his lap. Auditions were today, and he didn't want to forget his lines.

The others grinned and continued their chatter, waiting until the pair had finally parted and Emily had sunken down to the floor next to Aaron.

"Well, well, well." JJ tsked. "Young lady, what have I told you about using too much tongue while Frenching?"

Emily smiled. "I don't know, what have you told me?"

"That it's impossible- the French are all about tongue. Next time, we should be able to ask you what he had for lunch that day and get an accurate and detailed report."

Even Morgan 'eww'ed at that one.

"What's gotten into you, Jayge?"

Penelope shook her head. "She's just a little feisty because she signed up to audition for older Cosette, cuz she thought that William", she said fancily, "would be auditioning for Marius Pontmercy, her suitor. But it seems, that young William has decided he would rather audition to be Grantaire, alongside your beau, who's auditioning for Enjolras." That last part was said amusedly.

A wondering look took over Emily's face. Ian was auditioning- to play Enjolras, no less? She sighed. Ian could be passionate when he wanted to be. She could picture him as a revolutionary; she definitely wanted to be there when he did his audition. Just imagining him in that outfit, passionately leading the revolutionaries, singing _Do You Hear the People Sing_-

"Emily? Emily?!"

"Hmm?"

"Earth to Prentiss?" Morgan shot a spitball at her.

"Derek!" She jumped over Aaron's lap, swatting at the boy with her notebook.

"Hey! I called your name like a bzillion times- it's not my fault you didn't hear cuz you were daydreaming about your boytoy." He teased.

"Well at least I have a boytoy to dream about." She shot back.

"Hey! I've got chicks all over me."

"Chicks- as in plural. Yeah, it's a little hard to daydream about multiple girls. You'll get a headache."

"Spit it out, princess. Whatcha tryin' to say?"

Emily leaned forward, resting her arms on Aaron's lap. "You can't keep a girl, Derek Morgan." She breathed out.

Aaron flinched, moving his legs so that Emily's arms dropped off. "I think we all should be studying our lines, he's gonna call us in any minute."

Emily sat back, pulling out her notes as Morgan shot a few more spitballs into her hair. "Immature ass-" She swatted at him, before turning to the ever-frowning Aaron. "So who are you trying out for?"

"Inspector Javert." He replied, still looking at his notes.

"Wow!" Emily raised her eyebrows at the other girls, questioningly. They shrugged. "I would've figured you for a more Enjolras… or even Jean Valjean?"

Aaron blinked, raising his head to look her in the eye. "I find his character interesting. He thinks he knows what justice is… but by the end, he's not sure anymore. And he's confused. And it's just a search for the meaning of justice that doesn't really have an answer. And, at the end, I think that's why he kills himself. He no longer knows what justice is, and he feels like he'll never be able to know."

Morgan rolled his eyes. "He's the bad guy in all this, Hotch. He's not even really interesting. Jean Valjean is the best though!"

Emily looked at him wryly. "Lemme guess: you're auditioning for Jean Valjean."

"Yeah, what's it to you?!"

"Nothing- just makes a lot of sense."

Morgan scowled. Emily was trying to get into his head and he was loath to admit it, but it was working.

"Okay okay, guys! No fighting." JJ butt in before Emily could chew him alive. "One of you needs to help Spence with his lines, he needs to learn how to act."

"Whatcha going for, pretty boy?"

"I was gonna go for Enjolras, but Mr. Rossi said I should consider trying for Gavroche and…" He trailed off, a light blush taking over his cheeks.

Penelope finished for him. "Little Ashley Seaver- the one who's babysitting Jack and Sean- is in charge of Gavroche's and his fellow street urchin extras' wardrobe and makeup!"

Emily smiled at the boy. "I'll help you with your lines." Aaah, young love! What an asinine and yet adorable thing. She had seen Ashley Seaver around, and she seemed sweet. But personally, she thought the two where much too alike to be a good match. Both of them were a bit shy and that might prevent them from having any real fun.

* * *

The hour passed by quickly, the group shifting from the hallway floor to the seats in the auditorium to study their lines in whispers and murmurs. Surprisingly, there was a large turn-out. Besides Mr. Rossi's Theatre class, there was at least 20 students who has obviously come to audition with real interest and actual talent. The others were, unsurprisingly, mostly comprised of embarrassed or embarrassing teenagers staring at the ground or the ceiling while mumbling most of their lines. After a classful of blatantly bad performances, it was Emily's turn.

Emily had been born and bred for the spotlight, a consequence of being a diplomat's daughter. So, the amount of butterflies in her stomach was irrelevant to her performance; she knew how to pretend. The sound of her friends cheering her from their seats shook the doubt from her shoulders.

"Whenever you're ready, Miss Prentiss."

Emily cleared her throat. "God, I need a cigarette", she thought.

The music began overhead, and she closed her eyes for a moment. Time to focus.

"I dreamed a dream in time gone by. When hope was high and life worth living." Fantine had sold herself. "I dreamed that love would never die!" She had given up on the world. "I dreamed that God would be forgiving!" Flashes of church steps crossed Emily's mind. "Then I was young and unafraid, and dreams were made and used and wasted." She could hear Matthew's laughter as they jumped the school wall. "There was no ransom to be paid! No song unsung; no wine untasted!"

The taste of cigarette ashes layered her tongue. "But the tigers come at night- with their voices soft as thunder- as they tear your hopes apart; as they turn your dreams to shame!" She blinked away the memories of never-ending parties. "He slept a summer by my side. He filled my days with endless wonder! He took my childhood in his stride", her forehead creased as she willed away the memories of a painful, hazy night. "But he was gone when autumn came. And still I pray he'll come to me- that we'll live the years together." She could see a ghost of a handsome teenager with a tiny bundle. "But there are dreams that cannot be! And there are storms we cannot weather!" Emily blinked away the mirage.

"I had a dream my life would be so different from the hell I'm living! So different now from what it seemed!" She paused. "No life has killed the dream I dreamed."

The class shifted in their seats and whispered.

"Dear heavens!" Mr. Rossi chuckled. "Finally, some competition." He clapped. Morgan whistled in the background. Emily smiled at her friends, but found her eyes drawn to the figure by the exit door, staring silently back at her.

…


End file.
